Just friends, Good Place to Start
by SarahLynx
Summary: Nathan Lee and Haley James are best friends since 7th grade. What happens when their perfect little world is threatened by a basketball game? - Based on Nathan's dream in 2x20. One-shot. Naley.


**Disclaimer: This OS was made with the only intent of making people smile. I do not own OTH, nor the characters of that AMAZING show nor most of the following dialogues which are mainly taken from the Naley scenes in 2x20. I really hope you enjoy this little piece of writing. :) ~NaleyForever~ -Sarah.**

* * *

 **Just friends...Good place to start**

"Speaking of hot girls, sorry I'm late." Haley James, a sixteen-year-old blonde girl said with a sarcastic smile, interrupting Deb Lee's conversation with her son Nathan.

Deb Lee was the owner of _Deb's Den,_ a local Tree Hill cafe where Haley worked as a waitress.

"School bus driver ran out of gas," Haley explained.

"Where were you today?" Nathan asked his best friend.

"I told you! Mr. R. took us to the planetarium. If you ever listened to me you'd know that."

"Okay, alright. I just can't believe you went out in public with that hat."

If there was one thing that Nathan liked to tease Haley about was her remarkable sense of fashion. Right now she was wearing a khaki knitting hat with red flowers on the side which he particularly disliked.

"Remind me why I'm friends with you again?" Haley glared at him.

"Nathan, this is from that basketball camp," Deb suddenly said, opening an envelope.

"Yeah I'm a finalist, it's no big deal," he just said, picking on some piece of bread that was left on the counter.

"Well it's a huge deal honey! I'm really really proud of you!"

"Yeah! Me too. Congratulations. Well, we'll have to celebrate later. Right now dirty dishes are packing in." Haley congratulated him before throwing a towel over her shoulder dramatically. "You rock. Don't let it go to your head."

Nathan chuckled then sighed while she disappeared in the kitchen.

Deb looked at her son with a smile. "You know you two are gonna end up married someday."

"Stop it. We've known each other forever. We're just friends."

"Hmm," Deb hummed while taking a sip at her coffee, "good place to start."

Nathan shrugged. "Keep dreaming."

-x-

There was only one thing on everyone's mind that day at school: the basketball game between half-brothers Lucas Scott and Nathan Lee. Lucas ans Nathan had the same father, Dan Scott. He had gotten his high-school sweetheart Karen Roe pregnant when he was a senior at Tree Hill High but had left her before finding out about it. Once in college, he had met Deb Lee and had gotten her pregnant as well. But, upon hearing the news about Karen's pregnancy, he had decided to get back to her and left Deb with no other choice than raising their son alone. Ever since the day he left her, Dan Scott never once looked back and never once tried to play a part in his youngest son's life.

Nathan and Haley were in Astrology class. They always sat next to each other since 7th grade and were good students. More so, Haley was a brilliant student and Nathan just happened to be lucky to be her friend for she could help him when he needed it. Right now, the two of them weren't paying attention to the teacher's lesson too busy discussing tonight's game.

"Of course you're gonna do it. You've got to play this game."

"Haley, It's Lucas."

"So? You can't let him stop you from chasing after your dreams."

"Yeah, that's easy for you to say..."

"Dude, nothing is ever gonna happen to you if you don't go out there….go shoot for the star."

They both chuckled at their astrology class reference.

"What about you? What are your dreams?"

"Chocolate."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, chocolate," Haley chuckled. "I really really want some right now," she smiled. "Hum...well I've never told anybody this but...I kinda wanna be a singer."

Nathan raised an eyebrow at her. "A singer?"

"Yeah! You know like touring the country and playing concerts, wearing cool clothes and releasing albums..." She paused while he laughed lightly. "Oh you think that's funny?" she asked bumping him on the shoulder.

"No I just...Haley, I've heard you sing."

"Uh! Shut up! Just because I'm tone deaf doesn't mean I can't dream okay?"

"No you're right, you're right. I guess it does."

Haley laughed and decided to focus back on the teacher's lesson, laying her head on her hand. Nathan just looked at her tenderly. He thought about how beautiful and witty his friend was and how on earth had he gotten so lucky?

-x-

After almost dropping out of the game because of Lucas and his friends' stupid bullying, Nathan had reached the river court just in time. He had chosen to play one-on-one against his older brother much to everybody's surprise and had impressed them all. Winning by only one point after the jock star had thrown him some snarky comments. The whole crowd was cheering.

"Guess the kid is going to the High Flyers after all." Coach Durham, the Tree Hill Ravens basketball team coach had exclaimed after the game. He just looked so proud. The polar opposite of Dan Scott who was standing next to him and was glaring at him upon hearing his words.

-x-

After the crowd had cleared around Nathan, Lucas approached him. Surprisingly, he extended his hand for Nathan to shake.

« Good game. You deserve to go to that camp."

Nathan furrowed his eyebrows. "Thanks."

"You're gonna be okay. Just, come back to us soon." Then Lucas just left leaving a dumbfounded Nathan standing.

"What's that ?"

"They haven't invented words for how much I love you." Haley appeared before him. She was smiling and looking tenderly at him. "Doesn't look like I'll be needing this anymore," she said, dropping something in Nathan's hand.

Nathan opened his hand only to find Haley's bracelet, the one he had given her while they were hanging out on the docks a few days ago. He was all the more confused.

"Don't say I never gave you anything."

And with that, the girl backed up, never looking away from his blue eyes, until she was in the crowd and he couldn't see her anymore. He then opened his hand again only it wasn't the bracelet but a golden wedding ring that had replaced it.

"Haley?" Nathan called out. But everybody had disappeared.

"Haley! Haley!" He kept on screaming and screaming again. But there was no coming back. No answers. Just the silence.

-X-

"Haley! Haley!"

"Shhh. Nate, wake up. It's just a bad dream."

Nathan woke up with a start. He had to take a moment to consider his surroundings but then he recognized them. He was in Haley's bedroom. He had crashed there after the one-on-one game because he had had a bad encounter with Dan afterward, was pissed and had ended up falling asleep.

"Hey, shh everything's okay. I'm right here." Haley tried to soothe him, caressing his hair tenderly.

Nathan felt relieved to see her. He just stared at her face. Even awoken in the middle of the night she still looked beautiful.

"Are you okay? Did you have a bad dream?"

"How did I get so lucky?" Nathan whispered.

Haley stopped caressing his hair and pulled away a little so she could see him better. "What was that about?"

"I love you Haley." Nathan confessed.

Haley was speechless for a few seconds. "I...Hum...Wow...that dream must have really startled you. Let me get you some water," she said as she was getting up.

"No, wait, Hales." Nathan grabbed her by the wrist before she could get out of bed. She sat back on it, confusion written all over her face.

Nathan straightened up so he could face her better, never letting go of her hand.

"Haley. I really...do love you." Nathan told her, gazing lovingly into her eyes. "All those years we've known each other...You were always there for me. You are my best friend, my confident. I don't know when or how it happened but, I can't help the fact that I fell in love with you. Cause I did. I love you Haley. And it scares me a little bit...but, there it is."

Both of them stayed silent just looking at each other.

"Wow...there it is..." Haley finally sighed. To Nathan's surprise, she threw her arms around his shoulders and kissed him. It was sweet and soft and everything both of them had ever imagined their first kiss to be. They didn't want to break apart but eventually they both had to get some air.

"I love you too." Haley then said to her best friend. He smiled the purest and most genuine smile that Haley had ever seen on his face. He cupped her face in his hands and pressed his lips against hers, making them both fall back on the bed laughing. They were so happy. They felt as if nothing would ever come between them and their happiness.

In that instant, they felt whole.


End file.
